Olive picking season is underway in the Holy Land. This past weekend we helped friends who split time between their home here in Beit Sahour and living with family in Hickory.
It was a good introduction to the task, and there will be more opportunities in the weeks ahead for us as a family and for the kids through their school. And that doesn’t touch on the process of pressing the olives for oil and curing them for consumption. (Olives off the tree are tough in texture and bitter in taste.)
There for the picking.
After pulling the olives from the branches onto a tarp, or into a bucket, there are then cleaned of branches and stems as best as possible to be taken to a local press, or inside to start curing in a jug.
The expression might not read as such, but Riley was happy to climb the branches to pick the higher-up olives.
Sadie looking for stragglers.
That’s a wrap on our first olive picking experience.
On Christy’s birthday, she and I joined a small group to visit the grounds at al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Later that evening we paid a visit to the rooftop restaurant at Notre Dame to toast another trip around the sun for Christy.
Most are familiar with the Dome of the Rock with its iconic architecture and gold-leafed dome. Some may also think that the structure itself is called “al-Aqsa Mosque” but as our guide informed us “al-Aqsa” should be used to refer to the compound as a whole. It is one of the holiest sites in Islam, like Mecca and Medina.
Standing under said dome with its intricate mosaic work. Not pictured is the rock from which, as Islamic tradition has it, the Prophet Muhammed ascended to Heaven to meet the prophets and God. During his encounter with God, Prophet Muhammed haggled down the number of times believers should pray each day from fifty to five. Solid negotiating, that.
Christy walking through the Qibli Mosque, also known as Aqsa Mosque, which is the main prayer hall on the compound, adjacent to the Dome of the Rock.
You will note how the defined prayer spaces on the carpeting, with peaks that point east toward Mecca (the direction in which people pray).
The oldest remaining wall in Qibli Mosque.
My favorite item in the Islamic History Museum, next to Qibli Mosque. The translation is misleading at first reading. The bowl is not intended to confer fright onto a person who drinks from it, but is part of a ritual to help someone overcome their fright.
Christy perambulating through the museum.
Exiting the compound towards the Cotton Merchants’ Gate (Bab al-Qattanin). The Dome of the Rock is just visible in the background on the right, behind the palm tree.
Cheese plate!
The view from the outdoor patio at Notre Dame’s restaurant.
So stoic.
Back in our neighborhood, there was a Cat Block Party!
Okay, okay. I know I wasn’t invited. Later.
Finally, the return of our ol’ friend Aslan to our daily feline free meal program.
Greetings, y’all. It’s been a busy past two weeks. The kids were home from school for a week during the Sukkot holiday, so we fit in several outings and events during that time to keep us from going stir crazy in the apartment. As a public service I did not take any photos of the kiddos and I watching Avengers Endgame: Encore Edition With Two Additional Scenes So That Audiences Don’t Go ‘But wait!’ When They Watch Avengers Doomsday.
Let’s dive in!
There’s a new, fluffier neighborhood ginger cat coming round for meal service: Miley.
Someone pantsed a mannequin at the mall. That’s just rude. Or…was it the other mannequin?
Okay. Sukkot and sukkahs. Sukkoths are temporary dwellings put up during the holiday of Sukkot, meant to represent the shelters used by the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness. There are criteria to be met in order for a sukkah to be considered kosher: three walls of wood, canvas or metal, with a roof made of organic material like branches or palm fronds.
This sukkah, spotted in a neighborhood near the kids’ school, really captures the spirit of the sukkah.
In an urban environment it is not surprising to see balcony-based sukkahs such as these.
I didn’t do as much sukkah sightseeing as I wanted to, but there was a noticeable encampment of them near Christy’s church in the Old City. This is one view of several sukkahs set up on an adjoining square.
This is the view from the other side of the square. That is the bell tower at Christy’s church in the background.
During Sukkot, sukkahs are equipped with temporary beds for those who want to sleep in them overnight. It is expected that all meals are taken in the sukkah during the holiday (see the Blazin’ Boards ad in my previous post), so there is quite a bit of entertaining that happens in the sukkahs during the holiday (which lasts for a little over a week).
Party on. Google Translate was all over the map with this: “Bashar”, “fragrance”, “island”, “in no time.”
This was festive.
This was at the IKEA in Tel Aviv…
…which reminds you to let our your inner girlie.
During the Sukkot holiday you will see many people carrying the Four Species used to celebrate the holiday: a citrus fruit (eg, a lemon), a date palm frond, myrtle twigs, and willow twigs. You will see these being carried in specialized cases like this young man is holding.
Or you improvise.
We also attended a 175th Anniversary celebration for Talitha Kumi School in Beit Jala. It started as a German Evangelical Lutheran girls’ school (“Talitha Kumi” translates roughly as “Get up, girl!”) in 1851, and became a co-ed school in 1980.
The night’s headline act was Apo & The Apostles.
The kids were diggin’ it.
We also squeezed in another trip to the beach in Tel Aviv. That’s us fair-skinned folk there at the water’s edge.
You’ll also get varying schools of modesty existing in the same space.
As well as those seeking a moment of Zen.
We wrapped up the weekend with a silent sunset tower climb at the Church of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. That’s Sadie on the right, watching the sun drop behind the high-rises.
Lest anyone was worried about her letting the solemnity of the moment affect her too much.
We were unprepared for these bells going off at 6:00pm. They wuz loud.
This is the chapel at the Swedish Theological Institute in West Jerusalem. A visiting bishop presided over worship this past Friday, so Christy and I supported several Swedish friends and colleagues (who are regulars at Christy’s church) by joining them for their Swedish-language worship.
NCD (New City Disorder) Cult is a a collective of street artists who exhibit primarily in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. I’ve seen this image more than anything else connected to the group, so until I get an invite then it will remain a familiar if enigmatic feature of the city.
The next Jewish holiday on the calendar is Sukkot, aka the “Feast of the Tabernacles,” which begins on September 25th. I’ll post more as the sukkahs built to commemorate the holiday go up around Jerusalem. Can’t promise any pics of “blazin’ boards” but ya never know.
As night fell on the start of Yom Kippur, Riley and I encountered an impromptu reptile exhibit outside a shop in downtown Beit Hanina. The snake was pretty tame — perhaps it had recently eaten — so this young lady stole the show with her reactions.
We took a walk the following morning to see what, if any, street traffic there was on Yom Kippur. This is Ramallah Road, a main thoroughfare in Beit Hanina. On a regular Monday this would be jammed up with vehicles honking at each other.
You can see the barricades that prevent vehicles from driving onto Highway 60 (“The Bible Road”) that leads into downtown Jerusalem. Cars could go into and out of downtown Beit Hanina, which is a predominantly Muslim neighborhood.
Across the intersection is the road into the Jewish neighborhood of Pisgat Ze’ev. Other than the police vehicles pictured, you can see the complete absence of traffic on that road due to Yom Kippur observance.
Although the children of Pisgat Ze’ev were enjoying their time hanging out with the police.
There are three neighborhood cats that frequent our door: King David (Orange Tabby with dark stripes), Charlie XCX (Grey/Black Domestic Shorthair), and Robert (Orange Tabby with light stripes). Though King David is the name passed along from the previous tenant of our apartment, His Majesty leans into the title by being the most territorial of the trio–often with the other two cats.
This morning, KD was up in arms over a new cat that came onto the property. There was much guttural mewing from KD as the two cats squared off. Eventually the newcomer took safety under our car, which is where we lost the plot and went on with our morning. We shall see if he returns in the coming days.
Greetings from your Holy Land Lohr Sapps. This past week saw us attending a birthday gathering, having dinner with friends, catching a silent film in the chapel were Christy presides, and some other awww-inspiring moments.
This coming Sunday marks the start of Yom Kippur, or “Day of Atonement”, in Israel. During its observance much of Jerusalem will be closed and vehicular travel is limited only to necessary public/emergency services. So, we have some shopping to do as we prepare to be hanging out at home and taking the occasional long walk.
Much love to y’all. Peace.
First up, a birthday party in Beit Jala. (The birthday boy turned 88!) The centerpiece meal was a dish of meat, potatoes and veg cooked in an outdoor oven for two-and-a-half hours. Not pictured, sadly, are the pomegranates picked from our hosts’ trees, which varied from sweet to sour to a mix of both. Needless to say, bellies were full by the end of the evening.
Riley being a goof at dinner at Jerusalem Eye.
The view of Jerusalem from upstairs at the Jerusalem Eye.
A screening of Robot Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) at Redeemer Church, with live piano accompaniment. Like many silent films, the acting comes across as overwrought by contemporary standards, however necessary that was to conveying character emotion and narrative tension. But, it remains a uniquely influential film in its use of set design, visual aesthetic, and a twist ending, to create a disorienting and disturbing world that is a touchstone for the horror and and mystery genres.
Seven years later, Fritz Lang’s Metropolis would similarly define the science fiction genre.
A young girl making friends with one of the street kitties that frequent to facility where Riley plays youth league soccer. I’ve seen this particular cat stroll onto the pitch like it owns the place, so perhaps it is the unofficial mascot of the league.
The past week was busy and the kids start to ramp up their extracurricular activities in and out of school. There was also a Meet & Greet at Christy’s church. Oh, OMG SADIE TURNED FIFTEEN!!!!! [Insert words of amazement about where the time goes.]
Everyone have a great weekend. Much love from the Lohr Sapps.
The church meet & Greet. That’s me at top, manning the food and drinks table. It was fine weather throughout…
…that took us into a lovely evening.
Sadie sez: “My face when there’s cheese.”
Old City Kitties, an ongoing series.
Ancient rune? Alien symbol? Gen Z slang? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Riley at school Soccer Club tryouts (representing Liverpool with his jersey).
And at neighborhood youth league practice.
And finally, the birthday girl. Here in the Holy Land, no celebration is complete without the sparkle candles.
You needn’t spend much time in Jerusalem to see Israeli military reservists – on leave/furlough but still active for mobilization – in civilian clothes, carrying assault rifles with them in their day-to-day lives. It takes some getting used to and can lead to many moments of contextual incongruity. The 20-ish female soldier in uniform? Sure. The 20-ish female reservist at a beachside restaurant? Not so easy. But, that is the reality.
The poem below is based on my observing two reservists while we waited at a light rail station in West Jerusalem.
The Reservists
The pair are on call but at ease, summer wardrobe, sunlit conversation The weapons slung from their shoulders charge the surrounding molecules.
We see variations in our new reality: a young man in a Tupac tee a father pushing his child in a stroller a bikini-topped woman at a restaurant table.
We are accustomed, not at ease.
.I want to transport this couple to some crowded esplanade, cocktails at hand as sailboats lumber past the breakwater. No guns. No duties. No risks.
Here and now he reaches out and runs his thumbs along her eyebrows. She smiles stiffly, the molecules vibrating anxiously.
She sees me watching and gives me a glance but no more as she manages the greater of two intrusions.
We we’re having a wonderful few nights of culture last week: on Tuesday we watched silent comedy shorts (Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd) with live musical accompaniment at Christy’s church; on Wednesday, we saw an outdoor performance of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in a West Jerusalem park.
And then Thursday morning came around, starting a weeklong bout of intestinal distress for yours truly. Like, “dropped about 10 pounds in the process” level distress. But, a week+ later things are back to more solid functionality.
The kids completed their first week at a new school. While the longer commute has them leaving earlier in the morning, and the commute back home is a grueling uphill slog in this recent heat wave, they are both happy with the new environment and we are delighted that’s the case.
Not much else to report for now, given my being homebound for more than a week, so more to come in the following weeks.
Sadly, I didn’t take any photos at the silent comedy shorts screening, but here are some from Tempest.
If you didn’t see the images on FB, here are the kiddos on their first day at school. Riley was representing Hickory, woot woot!
This was an entry on the online menu for a local restaurant.
